We were lucky to catch up with Bruce Edwin recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Bruce thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We believe kindness is contagious and so we’d love for you to share with us and our audience about the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?
During college in Chicago one year, I was between jobs and unemployed. I didn’t have much left to pawn or sell and was very poor and hungry. It was freezing cold and I had spent my last bit of cash on the subway to get down to Chicago Avenue off of Michigan Avenue near Water Tower Place where I later worked. I tried pawning this watch someone had given me as a gift, but the pawn shop had so many watches, they wouldn’t give me the 50 I asked for, or even give me twenty buck for it. I asked the man at the counter if he could just take it anyway, to help me, as I was hungry and needed to eat. He looked at me and said he was sorry, that if he did that for every guy with that line, he’d be broke, that he was a business, not a charity place. I told him it wasn’t a line, and he insisted he couldn’t help, and said he was sorry. I left with tears in my eyes, and a feeling of defeat, hopelessness, shame, and hunger. As I left, a man held the door open for me who had evidently seen the whole scenario and stepped out on the sidewalk in front of me. He asked me if he could see the watch. He told me it was a very nice watch. He then asked me about my life, what I did, what I was studying, etc. He told me he could see I dressed well and was not a bum and wished me success. He gave me 50 dollars and I could not have been more thrilled. But then, he did something I couldn’t believe. He handed me back the watch and told me to keep it. I couldn’t help but tearing up, I asked for his card so I could re-pay him, and he said, “Bruce, from one business man to another, I don’t care about 50 bucks. I don’t need it. But I need you to do one thing.” “Sure,” I said. He said the next time you see someone else in such a position, and you are doing well, which you will be, I want you to remember this moment, and help them.” I called him an angel, which he was to me, and I always remember that moment. And so anytime I close a deal, I try to be like someone’s angel like he was mine. Anyone can be a jerk. But engaging in random acts of kindness is something unique that makes the person doing it often feel even better than the person receiving. It’s a selfish thing to help others, really. Because you get this rush of endorphins that make you feel good. And that’s OK. That’s a good thing. In caring for others, you help yourself.
Bruce , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m the founder and CEO of Starpower Management, Hollywood Sentinel dot com, Hollywood Sentinel Public Relations, and Bruce Edwin Productions. I’m a serial entrepreneur who also works as a writer, producer, talent manager, publisher, publicist, and art dealer.
Starpower Management is an entertainment company based in Malibu and Santa Monica, California offering an array of world class, elite products, and services.
Bruce Edwin Productions offers physical studios from our team based in Los Angeles, California. Studios include Red Cameras, Avid edit bays, sound stages, numerous 16-wheel big rigs, lighting cranes, honey wagons, armed security, and more, for all commercial and feature film production needs in studio or on location nationwide, with new equipment, beating any other rates.
Our management division includes above and below the line talent featuring Grammy award winning stars, writers, producers, directors, cinematographers, high fashion and runway models, film studios, private islands, and more.
Our fine art division includes original, certified, blue-chip paintings of master works by Chagall, Monet, Warhol, Basquiat, Lichtenstein, and Haring, among others.
Our public relations division features national news wire placement, red carpets, A-list event bookings, VIP introductions and pitches, and more.
Our publishing division includes Hollywood Sentinel dot com, as well as numerous upcoming business, poetry, and self-help books.
Our commercial production division features writing, casting, and shooting commercials for clients that air on major network TV and streaming, reaching millions of viewers in LA, NYC, and beyond.
Our feature film production division includes 4 projects in pre-production including one documentary, one feature, one animation trilogy, and one episodic. We have 12 more projects in development, and over 100 other IP.
I’ve always loved all areas of the arts and artists, from music, fashion, fashion models, the movies, fine art, and literature. I knew ever since I was a child that I wanted to work in the movie and music industry. I lived many years on the edge so to speak, pursuing my dreams. There was never any plan B. For me, it was a do or die attitude. That journey was not easy. It was often times filled with literal blood, sweat and tears, but I thank God, I finally made it. I made a living for myself doing what I loved.
The good news is that there has never been a better time to be an artist, self-employed, and an entrepreneur. And there has never been a better time to get the information you need to succeed, and many times for free.
How I started out was by self-publishing a music magazine. It started as a cut and paste fanzine that I made at the copy shop and included my poetry in. From there it grew, until I eventually had a staff of writers, did offset printing, and had regular distribution. That led me to working with many indie record labels, interviewing my favorite bands, and then working with most of the major record labels. From there, I was invited on my first cross country tour, which led me to later booking bands myself.
I started out as a music major, then switched to film. So, I went to film school, studied all areas of filmmaking, moved to Hollywood, got a film degree graduating on lot at CBS in Studio City, did a lot of internships, and finally worked my way up at a model and talent agency, starting as a model and talent scout. The owner was this former Vogue model and a great businesswoman. She had a great sense of style, and always wore the most expensive perfume and best fashion. She was rich, powerful, smart, and beautiful and it was exciting just walking into those doors of that agency. It was charged every day with an energy of excitement like you feel on a movie set. We liked each other a lot, and so eventually she let me sit at her desk and run the whole agency when she was out. So that’s how I learned the agency world.
What sets me apart from others, so I have been told, is that if I want something enough, I am relentless. I don’t give up. When I get obsessed with certain targets or goals I want enough, I put my whole life force and spirit into manifesting it. When you put that much of yourself into something, then, God willing—it’s pretty certain you will get it as long as it is humanly possible for you, you are doing the correct actions that can get you there, and not harming anyone.
Most people only put a fraction of themselves into anything. So, I guess it’s a certain level of intensity. People used to tell me I was so intense when I was a teenager, which annoyed me, because I was like, how else “is” there to be?! This is life! It is intense! Now I take that line as a compliment.
The main problem I solve for clients, aside from getting them more attention and business opportunities, is giving them great new creative ideas that take them to the next level and getting them to expand their thinking and overcome obstacles to reach their goals. Most people think too small and can’t handle rejection. Many people are also too negative. A positive mindset, combined with thinking big, and endless creativity can lead to amazing results.
I have been rejected countless times. I never counted, or it would be exhausting. Rejection means nothing if you are obsessed with your goals. It’s just a part of the game.
I don’t feel proud about anything for very long. To me, pride leads to arrogance and complacency, which leads to failure, and I want to always be expanding and succeeding. What I am is grateful. I’m grateful that I am always growing personally, spiritually, and in my career. I am grateful that I have survived and thrived despite all of my foolish ways when I was a growing up. I’m grateful I was given the strength to never give up. I’m grateful for my family, friends, clients, and business. I’m grateful I get to do what I love for a living. I’m grateful for all I have been given in this life. And ultimately, I’m grateful to God for life itself and all the great things in it.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
When I was just a freshman in high school, my homeroom teacher had us do this course called “See you at the Top” by Zig Zigler. We would laugh and make fun of this man with the funny, squeaky voice, who talked funny, but beyond laughing so hard until we cried, many of us also had tears of joy and relief upon having breakthroughs concerning defining what we wanted to achieve in life, and how to get there. It was a truly powerful, amazing, great course to be exposed to when you are just a 15-year old kid. That class and that book and lecture was one of the main things that led me to believe in myself more, and to dare to dream big and follow my bliss. I remember crying and hugging that teacher on the last day of class, thanking him for what he did for me by playing Zig Zigler. I didn’t know exactly what then I would do with my life, but I knew it would be in the music and film industry, and I knew it would be something great and exciting, and that nothing would stop me.
Countless other books and authors have inspired me and made me who I am today including Brian Tracy, Napoleon Hill, Bob Proctor, Anthony Robbins, Esther Hicks, my dear friend Dr. Terry Cole Whittaker, and my client Les Brown among more. Books including “Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude,” “Think and Grow Rich,” “The Four Agreements,” “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and it’s all small stuff,” “Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer,” and many more have helped and influenced me greatly. Other authors including Joseph Campbell, and many other philosophers, revolutionaries, and poets also influenced and inspired me including Anne Sexton and Edna St. Vincent Millay. I have many books on many subjects in my library and I love to read, learn, and study daily.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I did door to door sales when I was 12. I was working to get this boom box, and I had to sell a certain number of papers to get it. I’d have doors slammed in my face and all kinds of things, but I never gave up. I got that stereo and then bought music including Billy Idol and Blondie who I still love.
I called a woman in the diamond business last month and she hung up on me two times in row. She didn’t know who I was. I called her just the other day and caught her at a better time, and now she’s looking at a deal and we’ll probably become friends and work together. She called me 3 times today. LOL. I think most people would have never called her again. But I’m an old school telemarketer. We don’t give up!
When I was 15, I first worked as a telemarketer, and we’d have to cold call people and tell them to go get their check book or credit card to pay for tickets and things. Some people would cuss us out and we’d have to call them right back and say, “excuse me sir! I think we just got disconnected!” Then we’d have to go right back into our pitch again. LOL. So having that background makes being a talent manager, producer, and publicist a bit easier. Sure, you can reject me and may even hurt my feelings a little. But God willing–I’m coming right back!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bruceedwin.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BruceEdwinProductions/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/starpowermanagement/
- Other: https://www.starpowermanagementllc.com/ https://hollywoodsentinel.com/
Image Credits
Lets Eat Grandma, photo credit: Bruce Edwin Bruce Edwin client Bella Glanville: actress, model Bruce Edwin client Melina Saxon: fashion designer, model, CEO of Medusa Complex Images used with kind courtesy, not for reproduction.